Sibulan, Dumaguete, Younger me

Dumaguete Travel Blog

SIBULAN, now I remember that place where I spent my summers as a kid. One of my most favorite places in the world. It is where I learned to swim (at the age of 5 in the ocean because its 5 mins away from my granparents' place). Back in Manila, I usually remember Sibulan everytime I smell twigs burning and every time you can almost taste the wind in your tongue through your nose. I just cannot put into words how nostalgic the smell is. hehe. But anyways some of the memories that I remember from Sibulan is having poop in my undies (i was still young at that time) and my cousin was really laughing because I smelled like poop the whole time that we were in the park. Well ok fine.This was where I also honed my Visayan speaking skills.. but unfortunately I can only understand the language but I cannot speak it.

I also made sure to eat my puto with chocolate on top :D yummy

I remember that day when I have realized that I already knew how to understand "BISAYA", it was when our 2 maids were talking about Vampires in the visayan area. They were saying that there was this very big BOAT that can hold up to 500 people, and it was cruising the seas of Cebu and Sibulan. It was very big, it's only visible at night and it contained VAMPIRES. These vampires were good looking and they even told me that these Vamps were of European descent. Imagine my horror as I listened to their stories from one vampire adventure to the other, in BISAYA... that was the last time that I ever joined their conversation. hehe.

Those childhood memories will always be a part of me. There's no definite time as to when I can visit Sibulan again.

Apo Island

My grandparents are in California and the house is just not the same without my grandpa's nagging voice and my grandma's cassava cake.

I was not aware of it before, but Dumaguete is a place where locals are aware of their carbon footprints. Siliman University Students and teacher have been educating the locals for over aperiod of time. The result of their hard work is Apo Island. Apo Island has one of the most diverse marine life and one of the most beautiful reefs in the world. Years ago, with the help of the locals, Siliman students and professors proposed that fishing around Apo island should be prohibited. A lot of mountaineers also frequent the province because of the rich and beautiful mountains that surround Dumaguete.

Mike's Shop

Mt. Talinis to be exact looks perfect from Apo Island. Another town that I remember is a town called Dauin. One can find a series of resorts that have their own “reef” that are used for snorkeling. Every resort has a marine sanctuary right in front of them. This knowledge is based on the stories of MIKE, the dive master that I met on my recent Hi Ho in Dumaguete. Mike owns a dive shop along their version of “Roxas Boulevard” (its near Siliman University) and he has a lot of peanuts. We asked him why he had peanuts.. he said that he buys the “TINGI's” from the kids that go inside his shop and give it to his customers. He also has a book exchange program inside his shop. So what happens is that.. you bring a book..leave it there.

This is Mike

.and get a book that you like.. no paper memberships, its purely based on honesty (that's what Mike told us). Going back to the peanuts, so he not only buys peanuts from these kids but he also helps these kids to go to school. I could go on and on about Mike's humanitarian efforts to help Dumaguete but you can talk to him in person. Just go to his shop look for Mike and he will happily tell you about his vision for the kids in Dumaguete and Dumaguete city itself. That is if he is not in Apo island escorting a group of divers. You can catch him 6:00p.m onwards though.

enjoy rizal boulevard..esp. @ the end of the day6. eat @ joe's inatok (im not sure if its inatok or inasal)7. drink some SI @ coco amigos(their nachos..hmm yumm are the best!) 8. go to bahura resort in Dauin.. for a private time with nature..9. visit the twin lake at lake balinsasayao.. ahhhh "splendid mountains"10. visit the dolphins in Bais and have a picnic @ the sandbar.11. on your way home from Bais.. be sure to drop by Tanjay for their famous Budbod (sticky rice)12. hangout at mike's dive shop and be swept away by his friendly staff. 13. did i say that the tempura in rizal boulevard.. ayyy the best... 14.. plus don't for get to go to HAYAHAY.. for affordable seafood must-haves, cheap booze and visit the local retail store. 15. i can go on and on and on but you have to go there yourself.